(Minneapolis, Minnesota) Libertarian-leaning Ron Paul told thousands of supporters at a protest convention Tuesday that true patriots support “liberty and the people,” not what the government wants.

Paul, who sought the Republican presidential nomination this year, was the highlight of the Rally for the Republic promoting Paul’s political views about limited government. The rally also served as an alternative to the GOP convention being held in nearby St. Paul, Minn., where Arizona Sen. John McCain was accepting the party’s presidential nomination in a speech Thursday night.

“Today they want you to believe a patriot supports what government wants,” Paul said. “A true patriot supports liberty and the people.”

The Texas congressman dropped out of the presidential race, but he and his beliefs still generate heavy Internet traffic.

Organizers said they sold more than 10,000 tickets for the rally at the Target Center. The crowd was largest when Paul spoke but some seats remained empty.

Throughout the speech, Paul demonstrated why he earned the nickname “Dr. No” for all the ‘no’ votes he has cast in Congress. He called for an end to income taxes, the draft and the crowd favorite, the Federal Reserve.

Dan John, 23, of California, Pa., traveled in one of several passenger vans, or “Ronvoys” that picked up people on 10 routes to the event.

“Ron Paul himself wrote me an e-mail and I felt he himself was telling me to come,” John said.

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura told Paul’s loyalists that Republicans and Democrats were destroying the country. Ventura, a third-party candidate and former professional wrestler who unexpectedly was elected governor in 1998, left open the possibility of returning to the campaign trail.

“If I see it over the next two to three years … and if this country shows me it’s worth it for me to do it, then maybe in 2012,” he said.

Other speakers denounced both party’s candidates, labeled President Bush’s policies Orwellian and decried the drug war, the use of paper money and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Dean Wead, an author, drew heavy cheers when he directed his words to GOP conventioneers meeting at the Xcel Center in St. Paul.

“I say to the people across the river, come home. Come back,” Wead said.

Speeches were broken up with videos from Paul’s campaign that were shown on a large screen onstage. Singer Aimee Allen gave a short performance and was called back to sing the crowd favorite: “Ron Paul.”